How to Pick a Good Wine for Beginners – 6 Wine Recommendations

While it might feel nerve-wracking to be a newcomer to the world of wine, it’s safe to say that everybody starts at the same level of familiarity. Knowing the best kinds of wine to start with can make familiarizing yourself with wine significantly easier.

From deep reds to sparkling whites, there’s a great wine of every variety for beginners. In this article, you’ll find six favorite recommendations for beginners with explanations of the appeal of each recommended bottle.

How to Pick a Good Wine for Beginners

While any wine could theoretically appeal to beginners, many are simply too harshly flavored to appeal to novices. For this reason, picking the right type of wine is essential. To start, you should always select a sweet wine when choosing one for a beginner.

Unlike dry wine, sweet wine has a wide-ranging appeal, making it a great place for beginners. Once the beginner can comfortably familiarize themselves with the underlying dry and bitter notes, they’ll find it much easier to move on to other wines.

Generally speaking, you can expect that most cheap wines will be sweeter than the more expensive alternatives. These wines are meant to appeal to beginners and offer a variety of flavors that novices are sure to enjoy. If you're new to wine drinking, there’s no shame in starting with cheap bottles before moving on to refined varieties.

The 6 Best Wine Recommendations for Beginners

1. Best Sparkling Wine for Beginners: Italian Prosécco

One of the best sparkling white wines for beginners is prosécco. This delicious style of sparkling wine offers much of the same appeal as champagne for a lower price — and the excellent flavor notes of prosécco won’t be lost on beginners. This wine is defined by its mineral and citrus flavors and pairs well with most foods.

While it’s generally better for novices to start with a rosé wine or light red wine, there’s no doubt that prosécco is one of the best introductions to white wine. While prosécco is just as dry and crisp as many other white wines, the citrus flavors allow it to have a widespread appeal that extends to beginners.

2. Best Red Wine for Beginners: Cabernet Sauvignon

As far as red wine goes, the most common first wine that beginners try is cabernet sauvignon. Considering that this widely-planted grape variety is used in many common red wine blends, trying a basic cabernet sauvignon will help you familiarize yourself with the taste of red wine — and better understand the flavors of blends that will fill your wine glass later on.

Aside from how common cabernet is, it also has an excellent flavor for beginners. This variety of red wine is easy to pair with savory dishes, meat, and even dark chocolate. You won’t have to look far to find a cabernet sauvignon with flavor notes that appeal to you.

3. Best White Wine for Beginners: Pinot Grigio

One of the best white wines for beginners is pinot grigio. Much like prosécco, pinot grigio is a light and dry white wine with a distinct citrus flavor. Due to the lack of carbonation, this wine has a much softer edge. It’s perfect for pairing with light meals like creamy pasta, seafood, and even tropical fruit platters.

If you like light and refreshing wine, you’ll find that pinot grigio is a perfect match for your tastes. In fact, this variety is commonly recommended as a “summer wine” due to its crisp taste and light feeling. You will find that pinot grigio is best served chilled to around 48°F.

4. Best rosé Wine for Beginners: Chateau D’Esclans Rosé Whispering Angel

While light red and white wines are the most commonly recommended varieties for beginners, rosé wine is excellent for beginners. It has a low level of tannins that allows beginners to familiarize themselves with the taste of wine while still being gentle on the palate. Rosé wine can be enjoyed at a refreshingly cool temperature.

And when it comes to common brands of rosé wine, Chateau D’Esclans Rosé Whispering Angel stands out for its excellent flavor. The wine has a highly floral aroma and plenty of fruity notes to offer but is much drier and crisper than other varieties of rosé wine. Beginners will find that Whispering Angel is excellent alone or paired with most dishes.

5. Best Fortified Wine for Beginners: Ruby Port Wine

Fortified wine is a type of wine distinguished by its increased alcohol content. While adding distilled spirit to wine to preserve it began out of necessity, it has since resulted in several distinct styles of wine that remain popular in the modern day. Many of these varieties are perfect for beginners. Look at the wine label to determine the alcohol content of any fortified wine.

The best type of fortified wine for beginners is Ruby Port wine. This variety of wine is light and approachable, with plenty of tartness and berry notes to complement the underlying flavor of the full-bodied red wine. Ruby Port wine is easy to pair and tastes excellent with red meats and chocolate.

6. Best Dessert Wine for Beginners: Moscato d’Asti

Dessert wine is one of the most approachable wines for beginners since these wines are much sweeter than other varieties. One of the best dessert wines to start with is Moscato d’Asti. Aside from offering a small amount of fizz and a low alcohol content, moscato is characterized by its sweet and fruity flavors.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What should beginners look for when choosing a wine?

  • Beginners should look for wines that are balanced, smooth, and easy to drink. Wines with lower tannins and moderate acidity are often more approachable. Start with well-known varietals like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Merlot, which are generally lighter and more palatable.

• What are the best types of wine for beginners?

  • Here are 6 great wine recommendations for beginners:
    • Chardonnay (White) – Known for its versatility and smooth flavors of apple and vanilla.
    • Pinot Grigio (White) – Light and refreshing with citrus and green apple notes.
    • Riesling (White) – Slightly sweet and aromatic, great for those who prefer a lighter wine.
    • Pinot Noir (Red) – Light-bodied and soft, with flavors of cherry and raspberry.
    • Merlot (Red) – Smooth and fruity, with soft tannins, making it easy to enjoy.
    • Zinfandel (Red) – Fruity and spicy with a medium body, offering a bit more complexity without being overwhelming.

• How can I tell if a wine is sweet or dry?

  • Wines are usually labeled as dry or sweet, but you can also determine this by checking the alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage. Wines with a lower ABV (around 9-11%) tend to be sweeter, while wines with a higher ABV (13% or more) are typically drier.

• Should beginners start with red or white wine?

  • It’s often recommended that beginners start with white wine, as it tends to be lighter, more refreshing, and less tannic than red wine. Riesling and Pinot Grigio are excellent choices for those new to wine. For reds, start with softer, fruit-forward options like Pinot Noir or Merlot.

• What is a good price range for beginner wines?

  • Beginner-friendly wines can often be found in the $10 to $20 price range. These wines offer great quality and taste without being overly complex or expensive. Well-known brands often have a variety of wines in this range that are perfect for novice drinkers.

• How should beginners serve wine?

  • White wines should be served chilled at around 45°F-50°F (7°C-10°C), while red wines are best served slightly below room temperature at around 55°F-65°F (13°C-18°C). Use proper wine glasses to enhance the aromas and flavors, and let red wines "breathe" for a few minutes before drinking.

Conclusion

Choosing the right type of wine for beginners can be a complex process. After all, wasting $20 on a bottle of wine that you only find unappetizing isn’t the most appealing idea. While it might be intimidating to choose from the hundreds of varieties on the shelf, a few types of wine stand out from the rest.

The best wines for beginners include prosécco, Moscati d’Asti, Chateau D’Esclans Rosé Whispering Angel, and cabernet sauvignon. Depending on what you enjoy about these varieties, it won’t be long before you’ve established your tastes and become a wine lover.